1. (U) Ambassador met September 20 with Dr. Attalla Hamad
Bashir, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental
Authority on Development (IGAD), to present AF Assistant
Secretary Newman's invitation to him to attend the October

SIPDIS
3-5 meeting in Washington of the Africa Partnership Forum.
Dr. Bashir had just returned from Nairobi, where he had
participated in proceedings for election of Speaker of the
Somali Transitional Federal Assembly.



2. (U) Bashir expressed interest in attending the Partnership
Forum, but said there was no money in the IGAD budget to
cover the cost of a hotel and sustenance in Washington.
Under guidance provided in reftel, such cost would be the
responsibility of the delegate. While the guidance provided
did not clarify if air travel costs to Washington were
covered, Attalla said he would speak with the NEPAD
Implementation Committee Co-chair to determine if both these
costs might be covered by the Committee. We will advise
Department as soon as we have Bashir's decision.



3. (U) Bashir hopes to travel this week to the United Nations
in New York to brief Secretary General Annan on progress of
the Somali peace conference.
RAGSDALE